Sergeant Andrew Young remembers his first basketball game and, more importantly, his first successful free throw. At thirteen, he hated throwing foul shots. The crowd's quiet anticipation and the necessity of that single shot created a miserable experience for him.
One night in November of 1997 was no different. Toeing the line, steadying the ball, he froze in the grip of terror. Nearly crippled by panic, he threw, and somehow scored.
Years later, Young admits that luck, more than anything else, helped him sink the shot. Even so, his coach made that moment possible by believing in him and giving him the chance.
Today, the roles have reversed. Hoping to return that same sort of opportunity to a young person, Young now coaches basketball for the Parks and Recreations Teams of Frederick County, VA.
Twice a week in the hours following his workday, Young, a recruiter for Baltimore Battalion, Winchester Station, hits the recreation center. His team, the Bobcats, is comprised of boys 13 to 14 years old. Aside from running them through drills and offering game strategies, Young also finds it important to convey life lessons that only a Soldier can give.
According to Robert Riggleman, recreations advisor and overseer for Fredrick County Parks and Recreations, the players stand to gain more than just sports skills. The social aspects of teamwork are important to their growth as individuals. For this reason, the county insists its volunteers go through a crash course in sports ethics and positive mentoring. That's why, for Riggleman, bringing a Soldier on board made perfect sense.
"It's a given," said Riggleman. "Soldiers are mentors and teachers. They serve their country. I can trust that Young will devote his time to carry out his coaching duties and to develop them as a team."
A prior reconnaissance specialist with the 1-61 Cav, and having served year-long deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, Young has adopted strong leadership attributes that allow him to mentor with confidence. Moreover, he grounds his coaching philosophy in the Army Values, a value system that he feels works well with the sport.
"All the Army Values work with basketball," said Young. "I talk about respecting coaches and referees; taking honor in what they do; having integrity and doing what's right; having personal courage when my kids get nervous. Selfless service, discipline -- they all work."
"To teach and share the Army values with the community -- to make stronger and better citizens out of these kids -- that's a great thing," said Riddleman. "[Young is] a positive role model. The kids see him, the parents see him, and he has a big impact on them."
This wasn't always the case. When Young first arrived, his uniform seemed to encourage stare-downs in the middle of the grocery story. He felt isolated from the community. Coaching basketball changed all that. By reaching a large portion of Winchester's small community, he has become a familiar face rather than a walking uniform.
"Coaching has allowed me to get my face into the community," said Young. "The community constantly sees me on a professional basis and a personal basis, too. I'm not just a recruiter. I'm part of the community. They know that I'm personable. They can talk to me."
Aside from indirectly supporting the recruiting mission by promoting a positive image for the US Army, Young takes personal satisfaction in cultivating the future of America. With an appreciation for the gravity of his position as coach, he approaches each training session as an opportunity to develop his players as athletes and maturing individuals.
"To have a positive impact on kids' lives is an honor and a privilege," said Young. "These kids are our future, and they're not going to be good people when they grow up if they don't learn to be good people right now."
"I think he's building a strong foundation," said Matthew G. Hott, Superintendent of Parks, Fredrerick County, VA. "I see the value in what he's doing. At that age, kids don't usually get to interact with a Soldier. So this is a chance for them to get to know the person behind the uniform. Then the kids might say, 'This guy's a Soldier, a recruiter, and he's a good guy. Maybe that's a career path for me when I get out of school.'"
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